So the other day I spotted a business card on the notice board at work for a lady making and selling cakes from home. I had a little peep at her website and found something new to try... cupcake bouquets (at this point I would love to add a link to her website but sadly I didn't save the url and the business card has since been removed).

I found a couple of ways to create these. One is to place a styrofoam ball in to a vase or plant pot, then attach the cupcakes with cocktail sticks, spearing one end in to the cake and the other in to the ball. I couldn't get my hands on a styrofoam ball so I used the cup method instead...

I stapled together 7 tall disposable plastic cups in to a flower shape, clued them on to a cake board and wrapped with crepe paper. Each cake gets its own little home in the top of one of the cups. And the end result:
















It's not great but it's not bad for a first attempt either.
I'm not sure about the leaves but they helped to cover the gaps between the plastic cups.

I also learnt how to use another of my many icing tips following a nifty tutorial on YouTube, which demonstrates how to create the begonia type looking flower. 

It's a sad time for my sister and a difficult time for her to celebrate her birthday, nevertheless we did the best we could. 

As children we had our fair share of squabbles (she always started it of course) but these days I feel very fortunate to have such a great sister. I'm very proud of her and she deserves a special cake. 

This idea came to me at Christmas during the traditional viewing of Charlie and the Chocolate factory with my sister quoting every word and singing along. It wouldn't be Christmas without it! She is probably the biggest Charlie and the Chocolate factory fan in the world so this cake seemed most appropriate:


Based on the scene where Willy Wonka sings "Pure Imagination" this cake includes the chocolate river, lolly pop trees, mushrooms, gummy bears and a little addition from Mr Chris - the flower teacup and saucer. 
Willy Wonka was a little beyond my modelling skills so I featured a cheeky Oompa Loompa instead. His facial expression was very appropriate when he's hands fell off the following day...

 

A touch of super glue and he now sits happily in his new home on my sister's bookshelf. 

And it would appear my sister is not the only fan, currently this picture has clocked up an amazing 61,924 views on Mr Chris' flicker account.